Terror leader boasts of ability to strike Dimona reactor

The Iranian-backed terror group Hezbollah currently has advanced missiles capable of hitting Israel's nuclear reactor, according to Hassan Nasrallah, the terror group's leader, who boasted in a recent interview that the terror group is prepared to strike the reactor and cause nuclear havoc across the Middle East.

Nasrallah, speaking to an Iranian interviewer, disclosed that the Islamic Republic has smuggled a variety of new missiles to Hezbollah operatives and that the group is prepared to strike the Israeli nuclear reactor, which is located near the southeastern city of Dimona.

"We are ready to carry it out and we have the courage to do so," Nasrallah is quoted as saying in the interview, which was translated into English by the Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center, or ITIC, an Israel-based security organization.

Israeli experts who compiled the report warned that Hezbollah has upgraded its weapons capabilities with the help of Iran and stands ready to inflict heavy damage on Israeli civilians.

Nasrallah boasted that a strike on the Dimona nuclear reactor would cripple Israel.

"If [Hezbollah's] missiles hit this reactor, it [i.e., Israel] will be damaged, their entity will be damaged," the terror leader is quoted as saying. "We will turn it into a threat for Israel, its entity, its inhabitants, settlers and occupiers, who are holding occupied Palestine."

Nasrallah disclosed that Hezbollah has successfully rearmed itself since its last scuffle with Israel. It is unclear what missile technology the group now has, but Nasrallah claims there will be "surprises" when Hezbollah renews attacks on the Jewish state.

"You will be surprised of what we are hiding," he said. "What we are hiding can change the course of any war, which will be foolishness if started [by the Israelis]."

Hezbollah is capable of turning "the lives of hundreds of thousands of Israelis into hell," according to Nasrallah.

Hezbollah also is targeting a large Israeli ammonia tank located in the Haifa area in northern Israel. A strike on this tank could cause mass casualties and potentially harm areas outside of Israel.

Hezbollah currently has "a pool of targets" in its sights, according to the ITIC, which provided an analysis of the group's capabilities. A strike on any one of these targets—which include "civilian, economic, and industrial [sites], including power stations and nuclear facilities"—would cause mass civilian casualties in Israel.

Nasrallah's posturing also indicates there is some level of concern that Israel might launch a preemptive strike on Hezbollah assets in Lebanon. The leader's rhetoric is aimed at deterring any such strike, according to the ITIC.

"Nasrallah's statements on the heavy damage that Hezbollah is capable of inflicting on Israel, which he has repeated over and over again during the recent years, are based on the upgrade of Hezbollah's military capabilities after the Second Lebanon War," the group noted in its report.

Hezbollah's upgraded capabilities are likely the result of arms transfers by Iran, including state-of-the-art weaponry.

"In addition, Hezbollah possesses drones that can be launched against pinpoint targets in Israel. These capabilities allow Hezbollah to seriously hit strategic targets inside Israel, causing many losses among civilians in wartime," the group wrote.

Adam KredoEmail Adam | Full Bio | RSSAdam Kredo is senior writer for the Washington Free Beacon. Formerly an award-winning political reporter for the Washington Jewish Week, where he frequently broke national news, Kredo’s work has been featured in outlets such as the Jerusalem Post, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, and Politico, among others. He lives in Maryland with his comic books. His Twitter handle is @Kredo0. His email address is kredo@freebeacon.com.